After you donate a kidney, your total kidney function will be reduced by about 50% in the short term. Over time (about 6 months to a year), your remaining kidney will take up the slack and your total decline in kidney function from original baseline should be on the order of 30% or so.
For example, if your Glomerular Filtration Rate (calculated based on your measured serum creatinine, age and gender) started at 100 mL/min pre-donation, it might go to around 50 mL/min immediately post surgery, and then slowly make its way back up to about 66-70 mL/min over the course of the first postoperative years followup.
This is one one of the primary factors that the Transplant Program examines in followup with blood and urine testing to ensure that you are “on the curve” with respect to how your solitary kidney is recovering.
The Transplant Program in BC is very active in various aspects of Research, whether that be in basic science, clinical research, quality assurance, or technology.
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